IL46798A

IL46798A - Means for changing the position of a load-carrying component of a transport unit

Info

Publication number: IL46798A
Application number: IL46798A
Authority: IL
Original assignee: Berglund K; Nordlund S
Priority date: 1974-03-15
Filing date: 1975-03-12
Publication date: 1977-11-30
Also published as: AR207642A1; JPS50125415A; SE390806B; IT1034151B; FI750709A7; NO143137B; FR2263906A1; NL7502917A; ATA116575A; GB1466214A; YU62775A; IL46798A0; DK102175A; NO143137C; CH598033A5; FR2263906B1; HU174099B; IN142833B; JPS5912508B2; DD119173A5

Abstract

A device is disclosed for changing the position of a load-carrying component of a transport unit relative to a support surface on which the transport unit is movable, and in which the load-carrying component such as a chassis frame, is carried by at least one support leg which is provided with at least one contact member for the support surface which may be a wheel, caterpillar chains or a pontoon, or with at least one coupling device. The support leg is mounted on the load-carrying component through an articulation designed and arranged to allow swinging movement of the support leg relative to the load-carrying component. The support leg is connected to the load-carrying component through a power actuator unit which is designed and arranged to swing the support leg so as to cause the position of the load-carrying component to change relative to the support surface to an extent corresponding to the degree of angular motion of the support leg. One power actuator unit is designed and arranged to retain the support leg in its set position relative to the load-carrying component, and the other power actuator unit is designed and arranged to become loaded by the load-carrying component together with any load carried by said last-mentioned component. [US4015735A]

Description

It tttljtf .ri ain rrtn MEANS FOR CHANGING THE POSITION OF A LOAD-CARRYING COMPONENT OF A TRANSPORT UNIT " Means for changing the position of a load-carrying component of a transport unit II II II II II It II It It II II II It II II tl II II II tl It II II tl II II It II It II It It II II II II II II It tl II It tl It tt It II It II It It It II tl It tl II II II II It II The present invention relates to means for changing tho , · position of a load-carrying component of a. transport unit relative to a supporting surface on which the transport unit i« movable, and in which the load-carrying component, being, for instance , a chassis frame, is carried4 by at least one supporting leg which is provided with at least one supporting-surface-contacting member, such as . a wheel, caterpillar chains or a pontoon, or with at least one coupling device.

In previously known transport equipment, the load-carrying unit - frame or platform - is disposed at such a level above the supporting surface as to be afforded sufficient free-running clearance when the transport unit is being moved. Consequently, loading is carried out by lifting the load from the supporting surface and placing the same on the load-carrying unit, and unloading is effected by lifting the load from said unit and lowering the same onto the supporting surface* Such loading and unloading operations require special load-handling arrangements which are constituted either of automotive vehicles or of hoists mounted on loading wharves or on the transport unit proper. In other words: loading and unloading of the transport units can only be carried out if special automotive vehicles are at hand, if the transport vehicle is moved to special loading and unloading devices , or if hoists are mounted on the transport unit. Vehicle-carried hoists usually are constituted of cranes or of ralsable and lowerable frameworks carried by the load-carrying unit. Cranes for this purpose, however, either have small lifting capacity or they infringe the load space and add to the dead weight of the vehicle where they are dimensionated for handling large loads.

For raising and lowering the frameworks large-size power actuators - usually hydraulic cylinders - extending at oblique angles to the frameworks are required, which in this case, too, will involve the drawback of highly increasing the dead weight of the transport unit.

The present invention has for its object to obviate said drawbacks and to provide a transport unit in which special lifting devices in the form of automative vehicles of cranes, travelling winches and the like on the loading and unloading site or on the transport unit can be omitted. This object is fulfilled according to the invention by imparting to the transport unit proper the features defined in the appended claims.

According to the invention, there is provided a transport device, comprising: a. a U-shaped main frame comprising two longitudinal, generally parallel side members, and a cross member connecting the side members at the front thereof, said side members having load engaging means thereon . . for supporting a load therebetween, the rear end of said U-shaped main frame being open to permit the rear portion of said load to project rearwardly of said members; b. a swingable fore frame member pivo ally connected to said cross member; c. a pair of swingable rear frame members, one Of said rear frame members being pivotally connected to the rear end of each of said side members and forming an extension thereof; d. first power actuating means connected between said cross member and said swingable fore frame, and operable for pivoting the foreward end of said main frame between raised and lowered positions; e. second puwer actuating means connected between the rear ends of said side members and said swingable rear frame members, and operable for pivotting the rear end of said main frame between raised and lowered positions, said swingable rear frame members extending downwardly at an angle from said side members when said rear end of said main frame is in a raised position, and pivoting upwardly toward a position wherein they are in general alignment with said side members as said rear end of said main frame pivots from its raised position toward its lowered position; and f. gripping means on at least one of said swingable rear frame members disposed rearwardly of the rear end of its associated side member, and adapted to engage said projecting rear portion of a load supported between side members when said rear end of said main frame is in a position beneath its raised position, whereby when said second power actuating means is operated to raise said rear end of said main frame said projecting rear portion of said load will be carried downwardly by said downwardly pivoting rear frame members, thereby effecting an upward tilting of the foreward end of said load.

The Invention will now be described more in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1, in side elevation, illustrates a transport Unit according to the invention as disposed in its position for loading and unloading operations; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the transport unit in its tranvelling position; - 2b - Fig. 3 i.e a side olevational view illustrating the transport unit with its load disposed in a tipping position,' Fig. 4 illustrates the transport unit in a top-plan vio ^^ .-·;· Fig.5 is a side elevational view of a front-end articulation device comprised in the transport unit; Fig. 6 is a top-plan view of said .front-end articulation device; Fig. 7 is a side-elevational view illustrating a rear-end articulation, device; Fig. Θ is a top-plan view of said rear-end articulation device; Fig. 9 is a diagrammatical side-elevational view of an automotive transport unit according to the invention; Figs. 10 and 11 in side elevation and in plan view, respectively" illustrate a second embodiment of the automotive transport unit according to the invention; Fig. 12 is a diagrammatical side-elevational view of a third embodiment of the automotive transport unit according to the invention; and Fig. 13 is a diagruramatical side-elevational view of a -tractive-.', or automative unit according to the present invention.

According to the invention, the transport unit - being a yoke-frame wagon, a garbage (refuse) removal or collection truck (lorry), a cable wheel trailer or a tranctive or automative vehicle of any other typo - is designed in itself to carry out loading and unloading operations. In order to illustrate the invention, a tractive yoke-frame wagon 1 designed according to the invention will be described hereinafter by way of example.

The yoke-frame wagon 1 comprises a load-carrying unit 2 in the form of a U-shaped frame or undercarriage, the legs of which constitute the longitudinal side members 3 of the wagon, and the intermediate portion of wh ch constitute a front-end cross member 4. The yoke-frame wagon 1, can be connected b means -of drawbar device, 5, to a trailer coupling 6 (such as a ball-joint coupling) on a traction vehicle 7. i The drawbar device 5 is connected to the front-end cross member 4 through articulations 8 and the power actuator so as to be swingable vertically relative to the load-carrying unit 2.

The ground-supporting wheels 9 (or caterpillar, chains, not shown) of the yoke-frame wagon 1 are mounted on supporting legs 10 which are pivotally mounted at the rear ends of the side membe 3 by articulations 11 and power actuators so as to be swingable vertically.

To afford a reliable connection between the drawbar device 5 and the load-carrying unit 2, the articulation 8 (Figs. 5 and 6) * comprises a flange or lug 13 which is disposed at the undersido of a centrally disposed beam 14 of the drawbar device 5. To form a hinge pin 15, this flange or lug 13 has hinge elements (not shown) which cooperate with mating elements (not shown) mounted on lugs or flanges 16 disposed at the underside of the front-end cross member 4 of the U-shaped frame. Further, the drawba ' . device 5 and the load-carrying unit 2 are interconnected through a power unit or actuator 17. This actuator comprises a fluid cylinder 18 which is disposed within the central beam 14 and which comprises a displaceable piston 19 of the plunger type. Pivoted to the piston- 19 by a pin 20 is au arm or connecting rod 21 having its opposite end connected through a pivot pin 22 to lugs or brackets. 23 secured to the upper portion of the front-end cross member .4 of the load-carrying unit 2. The pressure chamber 24 of the cylinder 18 is connected through fluid lines (not shown) to at least one pressure-fluid supply (not shown) which is arranged to be con o e latter in certain predetermined or any selected positions.

The articulation device 11 comprises a hinge or pivot pin 25 which connects the supporting leg 10 with the side membor 3 of the U-shaped frame. This pivot pin 25 is mounted at the bottom of a..rearwardly open portion 26 of the side member 3, the front-end portion of the supporting leg 10 projecting into tho rearwardly facing opening of said portion 26 (Fig. 7). The supporting leg 10 is further interconnected with the load-carrying unit 2 by a power actuator 27. The latter comprises a fluid cylinder 28 which is mounted whitin the side member 3 and which contains a displaceable piston 29 (of plunger type) . Pivotally connected to the piston 29 by a pin 30 is an arm or connecting rod 31 having its opposite end pivotally connected to the supporting leg 10 by a pin 32 The pressure chamber 33 of the cylinder 28 is connected through fluid lines (not shown) to at least one pressure-fluid supply (not shown) which is arranged to be controlled for displacing the piston 29 and for maintaining the latter in certain predetermined or any selected positions. The power actuators 27 may be controlled in parallell or independently of each other.

As indicated diagrammaticall in Pigs. 1 to 4, the power actuators 17, 27 may be disposed above and outside the load-carrying unit '2, the drawbar device 5 and the supporting legs 10. The cylinder of power actuator 17, alternatively, could also be arranged lying within the front-end member 4, and . the cylinder 28 of power actuator 27, as an alternative, could be disposed within the supporting legs 10.

Owing to the described construction of the yoke-frame wagon 1, the load-carrying unit 2 can be lowered to rest on the ground surface and. thus may be moved so as to cause its frame to be disposed lower than any supporting elements (not shown), lateral wall portions, lateral flanges or the like of a load, preferably a container 34 (Fig. l). By swinging the drawbar device 5 and supporting legs 10 by means of the power actuators 17, 27, the load-carrying unit 2, and thus the load 34, can be raised from the supporting surface until ..they will have reached the running level. Upon unloading, the load-carrying unit 2 with the load is lowereed again onto the supporting surface by causing the power actuators 17, 27 to swing the drawbar device 5 and the supporting legs 10 in the opposite sense. , To enable the load 34 to be, tipped, eacji supporting log 10 has a pin 35 which is designed as a piston or plunger displaceable within a cylinder 36 (Fig. 8). The plunger 35 i8 adapiod to be projected by a pressure fluid within the pressure chamber 37 of the cylinder (communicating with a pressures-fluid source through a fluid line 38) and to be withdrawn by a return spring 39. The cylinder 36, preferably, is mounted on the wheel housing ■40 of the yoke-frame wagon 1. The load 34 (confa¾.ner ) has a rocoss 41 mating with said pin or plunger and into which the pin 35 can bo caused to project (Fig. β)> In addition, each supporting leg (or the wheel housing 40) could have a lug 42 which is disposed behind and/or beneath the pin or plunger 35 and which engages the bottom surface of the load 34 (container) to prevent any unintentional rearward-tipping of the latter.

If the load 34 (con tainer) « is to be tipped, the pin plunger 35 is caused to project into the recess 41, after which the drawbar device 5 and the supporting legs 10 are pivoted by the power actuators 17, 27 so as to take up a position with a relaively great inclination relative to the load-carrying unit 2. During this pivoting movement, the load 34 (container) is caused to follow the movement of the supporting legs on account of the positive connection between the same, and the load is tipped into a position corresponding to the angle of inclination of supporting legs 10 (Fig. 3). Thus, according the the invention, the yoke-frame wagon, owing to a controlled positional change of its load-carrying unit 2, can be caused .to carry out by itself the loading and unloading of a load, as well as a tipping of this load, In the yoke-frame wagon 1 thus described by way of example, the supporting legs 10 may consist of hollow beam members, in which case the pivot pins 32 are suitably disposed within the respective beam members. The use of hollow beam members for constructing the load-carrying unit 2, the draw-bar device 5 and the supporting legs 10 also enables all lines for communicating pressure fluid and for electrical installations on the vehicle can be disposed to be protected within said beam members. Preferably, the clearance space between side meraebers 3 and supporting legs 10 is covered by a splash guard 43 when the yoke-frame wagon 1 is in its transport condition. Further, the side members 3 and/or the drawbar device 5 and/or the supporting legs 10 may be provided with limit stop elements (not shown) for limiting the paths of angular movement between such components, The side members 3 may be formed to cause their rear edges to act as a stop shoulder for the supporting legs 10, thereby obviating the necessity of separate limit stop elements for this purpose.

Since the yoke-frame wagon comprises hollow beam members, it is possible to dispose supply tanks (not shown) for pressure fluids and/or motor fuels within these members. Further, it is of advantage in certain cases to carry out the power units 27 for swinging the supporting legs 10, at least, in the form of two fluid cylinders (not shown), one being disposed on or within the 1 i load-carrying unit 2, and the other on or with n each supporting leg 10. Pivoted to the pistons of such opposite ends connected to a yoke (not the load-carrying unit 2 and each supporting leg 10 and pivotally mounted on the pivot pin between the load-carrying unit 2 and the respective supporting leg 10^. Such power units, although involving double cylinders and an extra yoke, will afford a kind of leverage which will, in certain cases, involve important advantages.

The foregoing principle of loading, unloading and otherwise handling a load is applicable to various kinds of vehicles for different fields of use. Fig. 9 illustrates the principle as applied to an automotive (or possibly tractive) pole erecting vehicle 48. In this case, the load-carrying unit 2 has an attachement 44 for an earth auger unit 45, said attachment^^ being so designed and arranged so as to be swingable between an inoperative position and a substantially vertical operative position. In this case, the load-carrying unit 2 is designed for being loaded with poles 46, and the pole 46 or poles can be connected to the supporting legs 10 for being tipped to an upstanding position, by means of a diagrammatica'lly indicated connecting device 47 (Fig. 10) . Fig. 10 illustrates the pole erecting vehicle in its position for drilling a hole in the earth and for lowering an upright pole into the hole thus drilled (not shown ) .

Figure 12 illustrates the principle as applied to an automotive garbage handling vehicle or lorry 49. For this vehiole, the drawbar device 5 has been omitted and is replaced by supporting legs 50 carrying front-end supporting wheels 51, such front-end supporting wheels 50 being swingable by power actuator units (not shown) in the same way as the rear-end supporting legs. The vehicle is equipped with a gabage collecting unit 52 which s prov e w a sup o the objects collected into a gabage container 54 disposed on the load-carrying unit 2. A driver's cabin 55, power drives (not sho ¾) and the like of this vehicle are associated with the load-carrying unit 2.

As a further example of application of the inventive principle, figure 13 illustrates a cable-laying vehicle 56. This vehicle comprises an excavator unit 57 - preferably of the endless bucket-chain type-mounted on the load-carrying unit 2, the latter carrying, in addition, at least one mounting 58 for a rotatable cable reel or drum 59. The bucket-chain excavator unit 57 may be provided with a guide roller 60 for the cable 61 and is arranged to dig a trench in the soil, guide the cable 61 down into the trench and refill the trench after the cable 61 has been laid down . .

A common feature of the three vehicles thus described by way of example resides in the possibility of moving the operating appliances (earth auger 45, gabage collecting unit 52, and excavator unit 57) vertically between operative and inoperative levels by the aid of the vehicle proper, and in that loading and unloading (of poles 46, container 54, and cable drum or reel 59) can also be effected by the vehicle itself, that is, by swinging its supporting legs into definite positions and possibly retaining the legs in such positions* The principle of the invention, however, can be applied to many other kinds of vehicles for loads to be loaded and unloaded and/or in which operating appliances shall be movable into different positions of height. Examples of such vehicles are: a) agricultural vehicles carrying various agricultural appliances, such as a plough, a harrow and a sowing appliance (in such vohioloH the load-carrying unit 2 may consist of interconnectible - posBlbly relatively articulated - elements, so that the length of the vehicle can be varied according to the number of appliances which can be connected in; (b) ploughing vehicles having ^ snow-ploughing blades; (c) pontoon boats having arrangements for collecting waste oil dumped from seagoing vessels; (4) boat- transport vehicles, in which^the load-carrying unit 2 has boat- chocks for carrying boat hulls.

. In all the vehicles here described and indicated, the weight of the load can be indicated by an indicator device (not shown) which is assosiated with one, at least, of the power actuators to indicate the loading excerted by the load-carrying unit 2 on said actuator. In this way, load-sensing data are obtained in a very simple way. The power actuator units can be controlled to operate the load-carrying unit 2 (and thus the load) relative to the instantaneous vehicle speed. The power actuators, in addition, possibly through gyroscopie detection, can be controlled to cause the load-carrying unit instantaneously to take up an inclined position relative to the inclination of the supporting surface. Further, it is possible to control the power actuator units for steering the vehicle by causing the inclination of the load-carrying unit and the spacing between the supporting wheels to change upon swinging of one or more supporting legs relative to the other supporting legs. Thus, the inventive principle provides for many advantages in connection with load-handling operations and workings operations, on the supporting surface, and instead of providing thevehi.clos with supporting wheels , caterpillar chains or pontoons, the vehicle in question can be carried on runners or rollers . In the arrangements exemplified hereinbefore, the load has stationary carrier members or comprise portions beneath which theload-carrying unit 2 can be caused to Xio for lifting. Such carrier mora ore - fixed or,

Claims

P.A. 46798/2 WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A transport device comprising: a. a U-shaped main frame comprising two longitudinal, generally parallel side members, and a cross member connecting the side members at the front thereof, said side members having load engaging means thereon for supporting a load therebetween, the rear end of said U-shaped main frame being open to permit the rear portion of said load to project rearwardly of said members; b. a swlngable fore frame member pivotally connected to said cross member; c. a pair of swlngable rear frame members, one of 8aid rear frame members being pivotally connected to the rear end of each of said side members and forming an extension thereof; d. first power actuating means connected between said cross member and said swlngable fore frame, and operable for pivoting the foreward end of said main frame between raised and lowered positions; e. second power actuating means annected between the rear ends of said side members and said swlngable rear frame members, and operable for pivoting the rear end of said main frame between raised and lowered positions, said swlngable rear frame members extending downwardly at an angle from said side members when said rear end of said main frame is in a raised position, and pivoting upwardly toward a position wherein they are in general alignment with said side members as said rear end of said main frame pivots from its raised position toward its lowered position; and P.A. 46798/2 f. gripping means on at least one of said swingable rear frame members disposed rearwardly of the rear end of · its associated side member, and adapted to engage said projecting rear portion of a load supported between side members when said rear end of said main frame is in a position beneath its raised position, whereby when said second power actuating means is operated to raise said rear end of said main frame said projecting rear portion of said load will be carried downwardly by said downwardly pivoting rear frame members, thereby effecting an upward tilting of the foreward end of said load.

2. A transport device as defined in Claim 1, wherein said gripping means includes: a. a plunger mounted in said swingable rear frame member for movement toward and away from said load, said load having recess means therein for receiving said plunger; and b. a third power actuating means connected with said plunger, and operable to move it toward and away from said load.

3. A transport device as defined in Claim 2, wherein a plunger and a third power actuating means is mounted on both of said rear frame members.

4. A transport device as defined in Claim 1, further Including lug means projecting inwardly on at least one of said swingable rear frame members for engaging the load and providing a stop for the load to prevent rearward sliding thereof when the load is tipped upwardly during downward pivoting of said rear rame members . - 13 - P.A. 46798/2

5. A transport device as defined in Claim 1, wherein said first power actuating means and said second power actuating means both include a piston and a cylinder, and wherein said first power actuating means is operable separably from said second power actuating means.

6. A transport device as defined in Claim 5, wherein said cylinder of said first power actuating means is formed rigidly within a cavity in said swingable fore frame member, and said cylinders of said second power actuating means are formed rigidly within hollows provided in the nar ends of said side frame members.

7. A transport device as defined in Claim 1, wherein said swingable fore frame member and said swingable rear frame members all include cavities arranged to confront said U-shaped main frame, the forward end of said first power actuating means being disposed within the cavity in said swingable fore frame member, and the rear ends of said second power actuating means hing disposed within the cavities in said swingable rear frame members.

8. A transport device as defined in Claim 7, wherein the rear ends of said side members have hollow portions therein facing said cavities in said swingable rear frame members, and the forward ends of said second power actuating means are disposed within said hollow portions.

9. A transport device as defined in Claim 8, wherein said second power actuating means each includes a piston and a cylinder, and said pistons and cylinders are substantially wholly received within their respective cavities and hollow portions. - 14 - P.A. 46798/2

10. A transport device as defined in Claim 1, wherein said first and said second power actuating means are located above the pivotal connections of said swingable fore frame member and said swingable rear frame members, respectively, with said U-shaped main frame.

11. A transport device as defined in Claim 1, wherein said first and said second power actuating means, said swingable fore frame member, said swingable rear frame member 8 , and said U-shaped main frame are ananged whereby said U-shaped main frame can be lowered into a ground-engaging position.

12. A transport device as defined in Claim 1, wherein said rear fiame members are plvotally connected to said rear ends of said side members by pivot pins, and wherein said pivot pins have inwardly extending pivot rollers thereon engageable by said load during tilting of the load.

13. A transport device substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. ADVOCATE, PATENT ATTORNEY Ρ.Θ.Β- 23008. TEL-AVIV, ISRAEL - 15 -